Reconcilation
by MyUnchainedMelody
Summary: One-shot. Zuko centric. Zuko and Iroh meet. How will their confrontation go? Will spite overrule Iroh's heart, or will he forgive his nephew? My take on their reunion.


**Reconciliation**

They had seen him wipe out an entire unit on his own. He had sprung into the battle out of nowhere. The same question rang in everyone's head. 'Who is he?' Zuko looked at the tall, bulky man that faced them. It couldn't be. Could it?

"Uncle?"

The figure started and turned to him.

"Prince Zuko." The voice sneered. Sneered? His uncle sneered? The words stung him.

"Iroh?" It was Toph's voice. The Gaang stared in disbelief at the muscular man. Was this Iroh?

The face of Iroh lit up when he looked at the petite earthbender. This stung Zuko even more. "Miss Toph, how nice to see you again. And Aang, Miss Katara, and Sokka was it, right?"

Iroh looked over the group and saw Hakoda, Suki, Haru, The Duke, Chi Tzang and Teo. "I see your group has grown."

"Yes, Sokka and Zuko rescued Suki and Hakoda from the Boiling Rock."

"The Boiling Rock?"

"Yes, we went there with Zuko's war balloon and I this brilliant escape plan and"

"Would you like some tea?" Katara cut Sokka off before he retold his story for the twentieth time.

"To that, I couldn't refuse."

When they turned to go, Zuko attempted to speak to his uncle.

"Uncle, I- I need to talk to you."

Iroh slowly turned, and when he looked towards Zuko, nothing of the previous warmth that had always shone in his eyes remained.

"I have nothing to say to you."

"Uncle, you must hear me out. I know I have done terrible things…"

"Yes, you have."

"I have joined the Avatar to make things right. I will fix my mistakes. I can…"

"You have failed me. Disgraced me."

The words slapped Zuko in the face. His eyes widened in surprise. He staggered back, reeling from the blow his uncle had delivered him. Those words were so much alike. 'Failure. Disgrace.' His mind took him back to that fateful day, that seemed now centuries ago, but from which he remembered every detail vividly.

In his daydream, the man that stood before him was not Iroh, but Ozai. They were no longer on a grass field, but on the palace grounds. Unconsciously, he touched his scar.

This gesture was not lost upon Iroh.

Zuko shuddered and stared at his uncle in disbelief. This was not how it was supposed to happen. Not even in the worst-case scenarios had he foreseen this.

The others watched, bewildered as to what was taking place. This was not the Iroh they knew. They saw various emotions taking hold of Zuko's face. Hurt, surprise, grief and despair.

Zuko fell to his knees, unable to bear that accusing glare any longer. He bowed down before his uncle. He fixed his gaze on the ground. Then he fisted his right hand and placed it against the palm of his left hand, as was custom. Sokka's mouth hung open. This was the first time he had seen Zuko bow to anyone. "Hey, he didn't bow to us like that when he apologized."

His remark earned a glare of Katara, an elbow from Toph and a 'sssht' of Aang.

"I am truly sorry for my actions, uncle. I know saying sorry won't even come close to covering the extent of things I have done wrong, but I will do my best to make it up to you. I have allowed myself to slip down the wrong road. But now I've found the right path, my destiny and I will fulfil it. I will right my wrongs and undo the evil I have caused."

He hesitated a moment and then added: "Ozai knows of this and gave me his blessing. Also, I found out" At this Zuko lifted his head. A mist of tears coloured his irises gold. "That my mother might be alive."

Now it was Iroh's turn to be surprised. Zuko had confronted his father. And came out unscathed. Ursa might still be alive. There was hope.

His glare softened.

Toph spoke up. "I don't know what all that was about, but everything Sparky had been saying was true. The whole lot."

Iroh didn't speak yet. The silence was killing Zuko till he could bear it no longer. He took the silence for rejection. 'You're a failure, a disgrace for the Fire Nation.' He understood. His uncle could not forgive him, and in his own way had banished him.

"I understand." He whispered. Zuko stood up and bowed again. He turned around, balled his hands into fists and started walking. He didn't look back. It pained him.

A hand on his shoulder halted him. A glimmer of hope warmed his heart. He looked up into the worn visage of his uncle. The warmth in his gaze had returned. They looked each other in the eyes. Then Iroh swept up his nephew and hugged him.

Toph strode over and did something that surprised everyone.

"Way to go, Sparky." Then she too hugged him.

Tears gathered in his eyes again. For so long he had been denied true friendship. For so long he had felt alone. But that time was over. He hugged them both back.

Meanwhile, the rest of the Gaang was flabbergasted. What in the world had just transpired? They looked at each other. They nodded. And flung themselves on the three unsuspecting persons. "Group hug!"

Zuko smiled.

* * *

Hi, this is my first fic for Avatar. I've wondered a long time what Iroh would do if Zuko and he crossed paths again. This is only one of the scenarios. I haven't found a confrontation between the two of them, so I came up with one myself.

Reviews are always welcome.

All standard disclaimers apply.


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